Tire Mountain Panorama. photo by Tanya Harvey
Western Oregon Cascades Botany and Wildflower Hikes 2001
by Tanya Harvey
Tanya Harvey will be leading three hikes this summer.
Anyone interested in coming along on any hikes e-mail her at (remove asterisks
from e-mail addresses before using !) Wild.Iris*@worldnet.att.net or call at
541-937-1401 and let us know your interests and schedule. Corvallis Area
Carpool possible: contact Louise Parsons parsont*@peak.org 541-758-1340 or
Loren Russell loren*@peak.org 541-758-1340 Emerald Chapter hikes are free
(though drivers appreciate a contribution for fuel) and open to the interested
public. Carpooling from all meeting points is strongly encouraged! Bring
water, a light lunch, hand lens, sturdy shoes, raingear, binoculars,
(especially if you enjoy birding), and your favorite wildflower guide.
--Louise
Tire Mountain Panorama. photo by Tanya Harvey
Sunday June 17 Tire Mountain, near
Westfir
Tire Mountain, near Westfir, is an easy 4-mile round-trip hike through old
growth forest and sloping meadows along the side of ridge. At an elevation of
around 4000’ its peak bloom is earlier than many of the other local
wildflower areas. There are many seep plants like Plectritis congesta,
mimulus, camas and delphinium. These form beautiful drifts of color on the
hillsides. There is a nice patch of dodecatheon. Also balsamroot, Iris
chrysophylla, fritillaria, amny kinds of lomatiums, as well as typical
mountain plants like Penstemon rupicola and P. deustus, Phlox
diffusa, Castilleja and three kinds of Eriogonum. This has become an annual
mecca for me and it never fails to put on a good show. I hope you can all make
it this year!
Meet at 9:00am at the Sebring Rock Garden or 9:30am at the Dexter Corner
Cafe in Dexter, just off highway 58.
Mt. June, Western Oregon Cascades. photo by Tanya Harvey
Sunday July 1, Mt. June, near
Dexter
Mt. June, near Dexter, is one of the closest mountains to see fabulous summer
flowers. In fact you can see it clearly from many places in the
Eugene/Springfield area. The trail is fairly short (1.2 miles to the top) but
steep in places. It starts out going through some beautiful forest with great
patches of Corallorhiza mertensiana, Rhododendrons and many other
woodland beauties until it opens up to a northwest-facing outcrop with
castilleja, sedum, Penstemon rupicola, Calochortus tolmiei,
Stenanthium occidentale and many other interesting plants. After another
short section of woods it reaches several other south-facing rock outcroppings
with some different flowers including Lupinus albifrons, Saxifraga
bronchialis, Eriogonum compositum, Gilia capitata and a rare
white-flowered Penstemon rupicola. On a clear day there is a terrific
view of both the Cascades and the Willamette Valley. As an optional addition to
the hike, after coming down off the peak there is a very up-and-down trail for
a mile and a half along the forested ridgecrest to another amazing meadow below
Sawtooth Rock that is usually covered with drifts of Rosy plectritis, mimulus
and lupines this time of year. Co-sponsored by the Native Plant Society of
Oregon.
Meet at 9:00am at the NE corner of the South Eugene High parking lot or
9:30am at the Dexter Corner Cafe in Dexter, just off highway 58.
Tidbits Mountain, near Blue River, photo by Tanya Harvey
Sunday July 8, Tidbits Mountain, near Blue River
Tidbits Mountain, near Blue River, is another little-known,
but wonderful hike. The fairly easy 4-mile round-trip hike starts out in an old
growth forest. The first mile of trail is lined with beautiful Phlox
adsurgens and later on clintonia, bunchberry and rhododendrons. When it
opens up there are large talus slopes to one side (listen for Pikas!) and
impressive twin pinnacles to the right. The trail continues up to the summit of
one of these “tidbits” where there used to be a lookout tower and is
still a fantastic 360° view. Among the flowers to see are Lilium
washingtonianum, Castilleja, Erigeron cascadensis, Eriogonum
umbellatum, and Campanula rotundifolia. Co-sponsored by the Native
Plant Society of Oregon. Meet at 9:00am at the NE corner of the South Eugene
High parking lot . I will be going on a number of unofficial hikes to Horserock
Ridge, Castle Rock, Horsepasture Mtn, Patterson Mtn and Grasshopper Meadows
among others.
Meet at 9:00am at the NE corner of the South Eugene High parking lot or
9:30am at the Dexter Corner Cafe in Dexter, just off highway 58.